See Also: Manpower(finance)
manpower(dictionary)
manpower(dictionary)
health manpower(medicine)
health care facilities, manpower, and services(medicine)

manpower (iou)



manpower noun & verb. M19.
[from MAN noun + POWER noun.]
A. noun.
The power or agency of man in work; (power as measured in terms of) a unit of rate of performing work, approximately equal to one-tenth of a horsepower. M19.
G. Clark The mere transport of these by manpower would have involved 100,000 levies.
The body of people available or needed for military service, work, or other purpose; workers viewed as a quantifiable resource, labour. E20.
A. J. Toynbee The invaders found the entire manpower of Macedon arrayed against them. London Daily News The company has reduced manpower in glass by 30%. attrib.: A. Miller You would think..that with the manpower shortage they'd economize on personnel.
b. verb trans. Hist. Conscript for non-military service as part of the war effort. Austral. & NZ colloq. M20.